Circuit control system



Feb.. 23, 1932. R. sT. JOHN CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 8, 1929 1l l I l I I l I l l l Il MT1 INTI L u 9||fl @.IIII- MHQIIITIGoIlD-III lI l l l I I l lun? Liunell-.

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ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 41932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT L.ST. JOHN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEMApplication led April 8,

My invention relates to switching systems for the control of electricalcircuits and parvide a system which may be controlled from any of aplurality of points or control stations, and in whichvarious controlstations are non-interfering so that control of the system may beassumed at any instant from any of the stations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system in which thecircuit connection for a plurality of scenes may be pre-set and in whichthe connection corresponding to these sets may be made or broken in anycombination or in any order by the operation of a single master switch.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a system in whichindividual circuits may be made or broken independently of the scenesetting.

A further object of my invention is to provide means of actuating all ofthe circuits of a group simultaneously without regard to pre-setting, sothat all of the house lights may be lighted in case of emergency or allof the stage lights extinguished for a black-out at anytime and withoutregard to the previous condition of the system.

My invention possesses other objects and valuable/features, some ofwhich will be set forth inthe following description of my inventionwhich is' illustrated in the drawing forming part of the specification.It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made bythe said description and drawing, as I may adopt varying forms of myinvention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing, the figure is a schematic diagram of thecircuit controlsystem of my invention. A

Modern theatre switchboards are of the pre-set type. Each of the loadcircuits is controlled by a magnetic contacter whose actuating coil isbrought to a multi-scene panel.

Serial No. 353,366.

vThis panel has switches by which the actuating coil may be connected toany of a plurality of scene contactors, and when the scene contactorsare actuated, either electrically or manually, all of the circuitscorresponding to l that scene are energized. This arrangement isutilized in my invention which has to do with the actuation of the sceneand load contactors to attain the objects above set forth.

Broadly considered, my invention comprises the use of scene contactorshaving opening and closing coils. One or more master circuits areprovided with which are associated selective means whereby either coilof any of the scene contactors may be connected to the master circuit.Control means in this circ itenergizes it momentarily, thereby actuat gthe scene contactors in any pre-selected combination. Means are alsoprovided for actuating the load circuits independently of the lscenecontactors. Each of the load y circuit actuating coils is provided withmeans whereby it may be connected with a cue circuit and a contactor inthis circuit may be actuated from the master circuit in exactly the samemanner asthe scene contactor. Separate contactors are alsopreferablyprovided for operating simultaneously all ofthe opening orclosing coils of each group of contactors, so that all of the stagecircuits may be opened for a black-out independently of the scene andmaster contactor settin s, and, in case of emergency or disaster, all othe house lights may be' lighted by actuating a single switch. The power`sup ly for each of the master circuits is preferably led through themain switchboard, where disconnect switches Aare provided whereby theoperator at that board has final control, and may kill any of the mastercircuits which he does not wish l used, without interfering with theoperation of any of the others.

In the following description of a preferred form of my invention, only afew of the cir- 'cuits which would be used in an actual installationwillbe described'. These sample circuits may be re-duplicated almostindefinitely, the additional circuits operating in precisely the samemanner as those which are shown. In order to facilitate reading of thediagram, portions of the circuit which are ground potential are shown indotted lines, the full lines indicating the hot legs of the circuits'.Where two leads of a circuit are indicated by a single referencecharacter, the grounded lead will be distinguished by an accent.

Three main supply circuits are shown. The reference character indicatesthe principal sup 1y circuit from which the load circuits are Iderived.This is indicated as being a single phase, grounded neutral, circuit,but it may also be three-phase star-connected i with grounded neutralor, in small installarived Afrom one leg of the main supply circuit 6.-

The various stage load circuits '11, 12, 13 and 14 are connected throughthe dimmers 16 tothe supply circuit 6 by means of the contactors 17..Circuits 11 and 12 are assumed to supply colored lights, and circuits13 and 14 white lights. The contactors 17 are magnetically held and haveactuating coils 18. One sideof each of these actuating coils connects toa hot leg of the supply circuit. The other side of the coil connects toa multiscene panel or scene selector 19.

Each of-the scene selectors comprises a plurality of single polemanually o erated switches, one switch being provided or each scenewhich it is desired to pre-set. A common arrangementprovides for tenpre-set scenes, and hence ten of these single pole switches would beprovided for each panel. In the present instance, for the sake ofsimplicity, but five, of these switches are shown'.M

One side of each switch is connected to the coil 18. The other pole ofeach switch connects through a lead 21 to one pole of a multipole scenecontactor 22, 23.

Although but two of the scene contactors are shown, one is provided foreach switch on the selector panels 19. Each scene contactor is designedto close as many circuits as there are load circuits, connecting them tothe neutral or grounded lead 6 througlnthes lead 24. l

lt' will thus be seen that if it be desired to lightcircuits 11 and 13for scene 1, and 11 and the selector lcorresponding to circuit 13 would'be closed. The operation of scene contactor 22 would then light all thecircuits desired for the first scene, and the opening of scene contactor22 and the closing of scene contactor 23 would then change the lightingto correspond with the second scene set-up. This arrangement would becarried out for as many load circuits and as many scenes as are providedfor by the particular board in use.

The system as thus far described corresponds to general usage. Myinvention comprises the control circuits next to be described. Thecontactors and switches used throughout the system are of well knowntypes, and may l be obtained on the open market.

` Each of the scene contactors 22 and 23 is magnetically operated andmechanically held,

having opening coils 26 and 27 and closing coils 28 and 29. The commonpoint of each pair of opening and closing coils is separately connectedto the grounded side of the supply circuit 8 through the cable 30. Theother side of each coil of the pair is brought to one pole of a doublethrow switch 31. This/is preferably a manually operated switch, havingan open position and two closed positions. As shown in the diagram,throwing this switch up connects the opening coil 26 with the lead 32,while throwing it down connects the closing coil with Athis lead. Thelead 32 connects to one contact of a master contactor 33, whoseoperation connects the lead 32 with the lead 34, which connects throughthe cable 35 to the hot side of the control-supply circuit 8. Inoperation, if the switch 31 is thrown down and the master contactoroperated, the scene contactor 22 will be closed; if the switch 31is'thrown up and the master contactor ope-rated, the scene contactor 22will he opened; while if the switch 31 be left in the open position itsscene contactor will not be affected by the operation of the mastercontactor. Each of the scene contactors has .a selector switch 31 and acorresponding contact on the master contactor 33 so .that by a singleoperation of the mastercontactor, any of the scene contactors can beoperated, in either sense and in any combination.

The master contactor is also preferably of a mechanically held type andis actuated by coils 41 and 42 for opening and closing respectively. Thecommon point of these coils connects through the lead 43 and the cable30 to the grounded leg 8. The other end:d of the coils are brought tothe two poles of a two circuit control switch 44 and thence to-Ymanually operated and of the momentary conta-ct type, one circuit beingnormally held closed whilel the other circuit is normally open. Theopening coil 41 connects with the normally closed circuit, the closingcoil 42 with the normally open circuit. When the switch 44 is actuated,the master contactor 33 closes to actuate its connected scenecontactors, opening again almost immediately upon the release of theswitch The mechanicallv held typel of master contactor is used toprovide a slight lag in its operation, thus compensating for theinductive lag in the operation of the scenecontactors which it actuates.

It is frequently necessary to add or take out a group of lights duringthe course of a scene, and means are accordingly provided for doingthis. Associated with each of the scene selectors 19 and connecting withthe actuating coil 18 of each of the load contactors is a cue switch 46.This switch is conveniently of the 4same type as the switches 31, havingtwo closed positions and one open position. By throwing this switch tothe upper position,-the coil 18 may be connected with a cable 47; bythrowing it down, the coil is connected to another cable. The twoswitches associated with circuits 11 and 12 connect with cable 48 Yinthe lower position. Those associated with circuits 13 and 14 con- .nectwith cable 49. It is here assumed that circuits 11 and 12 carry amberlights, while 13 and 14 carry white lights. Each lead in the cables 47,48 and 49 connects with a contact on a multi-pole contactor of the samegeneral type as the scene contactors. The leads in cable 47 maybe'connected with the ground lead 24 by the operation of contactor 51.The leads in cables 48 and( 49 are connected with this lead by theoperation of contactors 52 and 53 respectively. Separate cables andcontactors are provided for each color used in the lighting, the cable47 connecting to the circuits of all colors so that by operation of theappropriate cue contactors the lights may be simultaneously controlledas a unit or in colored groups. l

Contactors 51, 52 and 5 3 are operated by selector switches 54 from themaster contactor 33, in the same manner as are the scene contactors 22and 23. By pre-setting switches 46 and54, it is therefore possible tobring in or take out the load circuit in response to cues by theoperation of the same master switch which operates the scene contactors,or, if many cues are necessary in a single scene, to bring them inindividually by manual operation of the switches 46. In operating thecue contactors the scene contactors may either be left in neutralposition or in the on position for the scene. If load circuits are to betaken out in response to cues, then those circuits eifected are set upon the cue contactors instead of thescene contactor at' the beginning ofthe scene, and the cue contactor opened at the cue.

For satisfactory operation arc circuits must be supplied with directcurrent. Moreover, each arc must be yunder the direct control of anattendant, for, not only do the arcs themselves require attention, but,in the case of.k

' spots, they-must be moved to follow a performer, changed incolor,blacked out momentarily, and in general bemuch more flexiblycontrolled than the incandescent lighting.

The arcs 61 and other D. C. equipment are accordingly supplied from theD. C. mains 7 through the mechanically held contactors 62,

but one of which is shown. The opening coils is controlled by themomentary contact switch in the same manner. By this means group controlof the are circuits from the main switchboard is attained. Individualcontrol of the arc circuits is had by means of the momentary contactswitches 71 which are connected to the leads 66 in parallel with thecontactor 69.

It is especially desirable in the case of the D. C. circuits to havepilot lights at eachof the control positions, to indicate which circuitsare hot. The contactors 62 are therefore each provided with an auxiliaryleg 72, which closes a pilot circuit 73 when the contactor closes,lighting the pilot lights 74.

Means are provided for extinguishing all of the stage lightssimultaneously independently of the setting ofthe various contactorswhich control the stage lighting circuits. A separate contacter 75 isprovided for this purpose. This contactor' is similar in generalcharacter to the master contactor Leads 76 connect with the openingcoils of each of the scene, cue and D. C. contactors, and are carried inthe cable 77 to corresponding contacts on the black-out contactor 75.The black-out contactor is-actuated in the same manner as the mastercontactor 33` by means of a momentary contact switch 78. Operation ofthis switch will extinguish all of the stage lighting circuits, whichmay be reestablished in the same or different setting by the operationof the master switch 44.

Provision is made for operating the sysytem from any of aplurality ofcontrol stathese stations, similar to the master contactor 33, and itscontrol circuit-s are connected in parallel therewith and are actuatedby the switch 80, which corresponds with the switch 44 actuating themaster contactor 33. The individual circuits controlled by thiscontactor comprise selector switches 81 similar to the selector switches31 and 574, and connect with the opening andclosing coils of the sceneand cue contactors in parallel with the circuits controlled by contactor33. In order to avoid confusion in the drawing, but one-.of thesecircuits is shown.

The black-out contactor,/7 may be actuated from each 'of the/controlvstations by means of a black-out switch 82. The normally closed contactsof switches 78 and 82 are connected/in series with the opening coil. Thenormally closed contacts of these switches-are connected in parallel tothe closing coil of the contactor. Thus, when either switch is operated,the opening coil is positively cle-energized, allowing the closingcoilto function. This arrangement maintains the independence of the controlstations.

When thc stage switchboard is in use, the

.house lighting circuits 83 are controlled from itin exactly the samemanner as the stage circuits. The house circuits are derived from thesupply circuit 6 and are controlled by the contactors 84. Actuatingcoils 85 for the contactors are controlled by selector switches 48 6 anda house master contactor 87, which in ,for emergency use. By theoperation of this switch all of the house lights are immediately andsimultaneously lighted.

Altho the ability to transfer control of the lighting system to variouspointsis exceedingly valuable, it is essential that the ultimate controlbe vested in a single person, o`r

at least at a single station.. vThis station is logically the mainswitchboard, and the'system of my invention provides ultimate controlfrom this point. pointed out, all of the control contactors are actuatedfrom the supply circuit 8, only the load eontactors 17 and 84 beingactuated from the circuit 6. The actuating circuits for each group ofcontactors are fed through disconnecting switches 96, for which al panelof the main switchboard is provided. Unless its disgonnecting switch isclosed, none of the 'control stations can lassume command of the heredescribed has many advantages.

system. This not only prevents unauthorized interference with thelighting, but also enables a given control station to be killed in casea fault develops, without interference with other stations.

In the operation the circuit control system It is applicable to large orsmall switchboards.

,It permits instantaneous change of scene and lthe blacking out of anyscene without reset'- y ting. The stage and house lighting may be'controlled from the stage switchboard, and from asmany other controlstations as may be desirable, vthe control being transferable As hasalready been at any instant. The regular stage circuits may be used aswork lights and yet the main stage switchboard may be locked and thework circuits operated from a separate board, and provision is made forthe instantaneous lighting of all house lights in case of disaster.

In a large installation there may be hundreds of load circuits,necessitatingy an eX- treinely large switchboard. The usual' method ofcontrol requires the operation of all of the circuits from this board.As has been 1 pointed out above, my control system provides for theultimate control of the entire board by a relatively few selectorswitches, and the stage master switch 44, the blackout switch 78, andhouse master switch 88. These may be grouped in so small a panel, andduplicates of this panel may be so read- Lily supplied for the variouscontrol stations,

as to simplify stage direction greatly and to rend'er possible lightingeffects which could not be obtained by the usual methods.

Obviously the usefulness of this system is not limited to theatrelighting, as the principles involved may also be employed in the controlof complicated motor drives or in any other system requiring flexibilityand sneed of operation.

I claim:

1. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, aplurality of load circuits, contactors` for connecting each of saidloadv circuits to said supply circuit, an

actuating circuit for each of said contactors,

a plurality of multi-contact actuating ycontactors, selective means forconnecting any of saidv actuating circuits to a contact of'any of saidactuating contactors, amaster circuit for controlling said actuatingcontactors,

selective means vfor connecting any of said actuating contactors 1n saidmaster circuit, and a master switch for energizing said 4master circuit.

2. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, aplurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said loadcircuits to said supply circuit, an actuating circuit for each of saidcontactors, a multi-contact-actuating contactor having opening andclosing coils, selective means ,for connecting any of said actuatingcircuits with a contact of said actuating contactor, a master circuitfor controlling said actuating contactor, selective means for includingeither of said opening or closing coilsin said master circuit, and meansfor energizing said master circuit.

3. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, aplurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said loadcircuits to said supply circuit, an actuating circuit for each of saidcontactors, a plurality of multi-contact actuating contactors eachhaving an opening and a closin coil, selective means for connecting any,0%

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said actuating circuits with contacts of any of said actuatingcontactors, a master circuit for controlling 4said actuating contactors,selective means for connecting/either the opening or closing coils ofany of said actuating contactors in said master circuit, and a masterswitch for controlling said master circuit. l

4. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and aplurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of aplurality of contactors, opening and closing coils for each of saidcontactors, a master circuit or controlling said contactors, selectivemeans for pre-connecting either opening or closing coils of any of saidcontactors in said master circuit, and a switch for controlling saidmaster circuit.

5. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and aplurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of aplurality of contactors, opening and closing coils for each of saidcontactors, a master circuit for controlling said contactors, selectivemeans for connecting either opening or closing coils of any of saidcontactors in said master circuit, a switch for controlling said mastercircuit, an auxiliary circuit connecting with each of said openingcoils, and controlling means in said circuit for simultaneouslydisconnecting all of the load circuits independently of said mastercircuit.

6. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and aplurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of aplurality of mechanically held contactors, a set of actuating coils forclosing each of said l contactors, a set of actuating coils for openingeach of said contactors, a master circuit,

selective means for connecting any of said actuating coils in saidmaster circuit, a switch for controlling said master circuit, anauxiliary circuit connecting to each of one set of said actuating coilsfor simultaneously operating all of said contactors independently ofsaid master circuit and selective means, and a switch for controllingsaid auxiliary circuit.

7. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and aplurality .of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of aplurality of contactors, an actuating coil for each of said contactors,an auxiliary circuit connecting to each of said actuating coils, anauxiliary contactor having opening and closing actuating coils forcontrolling said auxiliary circuit, a plurality of double throwv'operating switches for controlling said auX- iliary contactor, acircuit connectinga pair of contacts-of each of said operating switchesin series with one of said actuating coils, and a circuit connecting theother pair of contacts of each of said operating switchesI inl parlalleland with the other of said actuating coi s.

8. Ina theatre switchboard system, a supply circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits, conv tactors associated with each of said load circuits forconnecting said circuits with the supply circuit, actuating circuits foreach of said contactors,' a plurality of scene contactors, selectivemeans for connecting lany of said actuating circuits to any of saidscene contactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors tocontrol simultaneously its rof said actuating circuits to any of saidscene contactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors tocontrol simultaneously its connected circuits, a cue circuit independentof said scene contactors, and selective vmeans for connecting each ofsaid actuating circuits first mentioned above to said cue circuit.

10. In a theatre switchboard system, a supply circuit, a plurality ofload circuits, contactors associated with each of said load circuits forconnecting said circuits with the supply circuit, actuating circuits foreach of said contactors, a plurality of scene .contactors, selectivemeans for connectin any of said actuating circuits to any o said scenecontactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors to controlsimultaneously its connected circuits, a cue circuit independent of saidscene contactors, selective means for connecting each of said actuatingcircuits irst mentioned above to said cue circuit, a cue contactor forcontrolling said -cue circuit, a master circuit for actuating said cueand scene contactors, selective means for connecting any of said cue andscene contactors to said master circuit, and a switch for controllingsaid master circuit.

l1. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting theelectrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contactor foreffecting the connections for each scene, a master circuit for actuatingany of said contactors, selective means for associating any of saidcontactors with the master circuit, a switch for controlling said mastercircuit, a black-out circuit permanently connected to open all of saidscene contactors, and a switch for controlling said black-out circuit..f

12. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting theelectrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contacter foreffecting the connections for each scene, a plurality of controlstations, and means at each control station for selectively operatingany of said contactors independently of the other control stations.

13. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting theelectrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contactor foreiiecting the connections for each scene, al plurality ofcontrolstations, a master circuit for each control station, selective means ateach control station for associating any of said scene contactors withthe master circuit, and means at each control station for controllingits master circuit to act-uate the asy sociated scene contactors.

14. In a circuitA control system, a supply circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to saidsupply circuit, a main control station, a secondary.. control station,contactors associated with each ofsaid control stations for actuatingsaid load contactors, supply circuits for each of said actuatingcontactors, and means at said main control station for controlling saidactuating supply circuits.

15. In acircuit control system, a supply circuit, a plurality of loadcircuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to saidsupply circuit,a plurality of control stations, means at each of saidcontrol; stations for selectively operating any of said contactorsindependently of the other control stations, and means at one of saidcontrol stationsfor rendering any of the other of said control ,stationsinoperative.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. A

v ROBERT L. ST. JOHN.

